Sunday, July 30, 2017

What Am I Reading?

I am a lifelong reader.

As a child, I don't think my mom read to me much (although she did sing to me often 😃). Reading was not something that was modeled for me at home. Nevertheless, I developed a fondness for it. 

In elementary school, I remember looking forward to independent reading time. I enjoyed the little books that I got to choose from out of the blue bucket. I would finish the book and answer some questions about it, then move on to the next one.

Whenever I would visit my grandma in the summertime, she would take me to the public library where I would spend hours walking around and looking at books. I like the library. People are quiet there and generally friendly. It's cool on a hot summer day. I even like the way libraries smell of old paper.

There are so many choices at the library! Fiction, non-fiction, magazines, newspapers... Just about any topic I could think of could be found in some reading material at the library. I would check out a bunch of books and take them home. Sometimes I would read them; sometimes I would just look at them. I liked having them around.

In high school, I did not read as diligently as my teachers would have liked. We were assigned some great novels to read, but I had other interests. I would generally read the Cliffs Notes instead so I had just enough information to join in the conversation or take the test. Of course, I don't advise that anyone do this because they miss out on the richness of the text, but I am aware that some people want the shortcut. These days, I would use Shmoop.

Throughout my life, reading has served many purposes for me. I have used reading to learn about a subject or read to escape into another place and time. I read to get to know characters and feel empowered or sad with them. I read to find out what is happening in the world. I read to stay in touch with my friends and family. I read recipes so I can make good food. I read comics to laugh. I read directions. I read a variety of texts to be inspired. All the time, I read about countries and cultures I want to visit because my family is always planning our next travel adventure!

This week, I am reading several things.
  • I am reading It Won't Be Easy. It's light and funny. I chose it because I follow the author on Twitter. I like his positions on social justice. He speaks in a voice I can hear and identify with. Teaching is hard and wonderful. It is definitely not easy, but I wouldn't want to do anything else.  
  • I also receive a weekly subscription of "The New Yorker" magazine. It is dense reading; I generally skip around and don't read it cover to cover. It contains current event news articles and fictional stories, comics and poems, movie reviews and interviews. There is a comic caption contest every week that my daughter and I participate in sometimes.
  • I read BBC news on an app just about every morning. It contains news from places all around the world. I like being informed about other countries as well as our own. It's also interesting to read their news about the U.S. (from another country's perspective).
  • I am also busy reading on social media every day. I have a personal Facebook account where I read the things my friends and family members post. I also read a lot of teacher blogs and participate in professional development on Twitter. I post about my travels and (as of today) my auto-immune disorder on Instagram. (That last one is more about writing, but reading and writing really go hand in hand.)
  • Finally, I have been reading travel blogs about Iceland. That is our next destination.

What are you reading? 

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Southeast Asia Travel

My wife and I have just returned from three and a half weeks of travel. While it wasn't always comfortable, mentally or physically, it was definitely educational. I find that visiting cultures different from my own help me build empathy and compassion. I have definitely grown from being somewhere I cannot read or speak the predominant language. I like to think that learning about other social institutions and customs makes me a better person; at least it gives me more stories to tell.

Here are some of the highlights:


Bangkok, Thailand

  • Hello: Sawasdee
  • Met up with my friend, Liz
  • Trains and tuk tuks
  • Lots of walking
  • Street food
  • Night markets
  • Hot and humid
  • River taxi
  • Mango sticky rice
  • Intestinal parasite
  • Bed & breakfast (Inn a Day) and fancy hotel (Mandarin)

Chiang Mai, Thailand
  • Cooking class
  • Currency exchange
  • Temples and shrines
  • Farmers' Markets
  • Street food
  • Hot and humid
  • Lush tropical forest
  • Air B&B cottage (Uma's)
  • Thank you: Kab kun ka

Luang Prabang, Laos
  • Rice farming
  • BBQd dog, rat, bird, snails
  • Teaching English to students
  • Rented a motorbike
  • Street food
  • Waterfalls
  • Tried Mexican, Korean, and Pizza in Laos
  • Guest house (Oudomsouk)
  • Hot and humid
  • Fed the guest house manager
  • Hello: Sabaidi
  • Thank you: Khob chai

Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Hello: Xin chao
  • Street vendors
  • Street food tour
  • Millions of scooters
  • Glass-front hotel (La Selva)
  • Hot and humid
  • Lots of walking
  • Women's Museum
  • Prison
  • "American War"

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Cu Chi tunnels
  • Motorcycle tour
  • Rubber plantation
  • Street food
  • Landmark tour on scooters
  • Hot and humid
  • Air B&B apartment (Christina's)
  • Thank you: Cam on


I hope you are having a great summer as well. Tell me in the comments below what your experiences were.